Deposed Crown Prince: After three years of service on the frontier, the entire court knelt and begge

Han Da didn't understand when he first saw the letter.

Jiang Xing's words just now gave him some insight.

After hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up.

Jiang Xing continued, "Not only that, we can also use the Turks to get rid of those new four great clans."

"Brilliant! Your Highness is truly amazing! What appears to be a retreat is actually a cunning move to lure the enemy deep into your territory!"

Everyone exclaimed in admiration.

Seeing this, Han Da said, "Gentlemen, but remember this: keep this matter a secret!"

The group nodded in agreement.

"Then go about your business."

The locals packed up very quickly, mainly because they didn't have much to pack.

After the people arrived at the city gate, Han Da sent people to check their ID cards and then let them leave.

These people not only refused the rations that Han Da and his men provided, but they also left the garrison with the dried fruits and vegetables they had accumulated over the days.

Han Da initially wanted to refuse, but these people...

One of the elderly men stepped forward. “Gentlemen,” he said, “this is a token of our goodwill! You must accept it. Though it is meager, it could save your lives in a critical moment…”

Han Da waved his hands repeatedly: "Old sir, that's not what I meant. I don't mean to look down on these things because they're shabby; on the contrary, I think they're extremely precious. You've already left us our rations, so we can't accept these."

Old man: "General Han, only if you live can we live!"

An old woman standing nearby said, "That's right, General Han. Seeing you gives us hope for the future. We want you to live. With the King of the Northern Desert here, and with soldiers like you who care about our people, we have peace of mind and hope for the future..."

The people took out some of their own food.

Seeing the people's enthusiasm, the soldiers on this side were moved.

Previously, Xiao Ce had been talking about the close relationship between the military and the people, but he didn't quite understand it.

However, they felt it then.

Sun Qiang and his group of lieutenants urged, "General, why don't we accept it? After all, it's a token of our goodwill! With the food, we can hold out for a few more days, and they will be safer."

Han Da nodded: "Alright, we appreciate your enthusiasm, and we will certainly live up to your expectations!"

Then Han Da addressed his soldiers, saying, "Gentlemen, let us all thank the people properly!"

After Han Da finished speaking, all the soldiers bowed in respect.

The people returned the greetings one by one.

Then leave.

Han Da looked at the mountain of food piled up at the city gate.

Most of them have been processed into easily stored foods.

"Your Highness is absolutely right. The people know how good you are to them! They will surely repay you!"

The deputy generals nodded in agreement. Most of them were locals from the northern desert.

They had never seen such a warm and harmonious scene.

...

In addition, outside Yanbei City, there was a Turkic camp.

These days, the Ashina tribe's army has also been surrounded and guarded.

The tribal leaders, having nothing else to do, spent their time keeping an eye on Ashina.

After these few days of calm, they began to doubt whether the information their people had reported was false.

The leaders were playing a game called "wooden stick" (a Turkic recreational activity similar to mahjong).

Ashina, meanwhile, closed his eyes to rest.

Just then, a messenger hurriedly came to the door requesting an audience.

Ashina heard the request for an audience and slowly opened his eyes.

The tribal chiefs, who were originally having a 'wooden fight', immediately stopped.

Ashide quickly called out, "Come in."

After the messenger entered.

Ashide asked, slightly nervously, "Have the people we sent out returned?"

The messenger shook his head: "No, they are our tribesmen from the rear. They said they escaped! They have important matters to report to you."

Upon hearing this, Ashide instinctively looked at Ashina.

Ashina, on the other hand, appeared calm.

"Go and call them over."

The messenger bowed and spoke, and a moment later he brought in a Turkic man who was dressed in tattered clothes and looked disheveled.

After the Turks ran in.

"Khan, help me!"

Ashide frowned slightly and sized up the Turk who had rushed in begging for mercy.

He doesn't know this person.

However, judging from his appearance, clothing, and accent, he was undoubtedly a member of their tribe.

"Ghosts...ghost riders came and slaughtered our tribe. Our tribe was destroyed by the ghost warhorses, and they also massacred our people..."

Ashide frowned slightly as he listened: "Is it the Ghost Cavalry? Or Ashina!"

The Turkic tribesman shook his head and said, "I...I don't know...They don't have any flags, they wear strange clothes, and their faces look like demon masks...I don't know..."

Ashina immediately said, "See, I told you it wasn't me."

He Lu chimed in, "Don't be so quick to distance yourself. When you go to attack, you'll inevitably have to put on a facade!"

Ashide asked the surviving member of the Ashide tribe, "Did you see my wife? Was she slaughtered?"

After Ashide asked the question, the survivor kept shaking his head.

He said he was from one of the sub-tribes, and the reason he survived was because he was suffering from diarrhea.

So they escaped unscathed.

At this point, the surviving Turk said to Ashide, "By the way, Khan, on my way back, I saw quite a few people carrying the banners of the Ashina tribe, leading many prisoners and cattle and sheep..."

Ashina listened, his gaze sharp: "Are you sure you're one of our Ashina people? Have you seen clearly? You have to take responsibility for your words."

That Turk was just an ordinary member of his tribe.

Startled by Ashina's words, he stammered, "I...I...I didn't see if it was Ashina, but I'm sure it was Ashina's flag..."

Ashina chimed in, "A single flag can't explain anything!"

Tesa said from the side, "Ashina, don't be anxious! Our joint scouts should be back by now. If you are innocent, we will apologize to you and we will definitely find out the truth. Of course, if it's false, we won't let you go!"

Just then, another urgent sound came from outside the tent.

"Reporting to the Khan... they've arrived! The scouts from the joint investigation have returned!" One of Ashide's sons rushed over.

The group immediately became excited.

Ashide's eyes lit up as he said, "Quick! Go and bring the person over."

He Lu gave Ashina a defiant look: "You're dead!"

Ashina's expression was complicated. Although he hadn't done anything, judging from the words of the Ashide tribe survivor who had just arrived, it seemed that someone was trying to smear him.

A short while later, a five-person team walked in.

The leader was Ashide's son, Sebai Ashide.

Ashid asked anxiously, "Sebai, how is it?"

Sebai Ashide bowed and said, "Reporting to Father Khan, everything is fine in our entire Turkic rear area. There is nothing amiss!"

After Sebai Ashid finished speaking, the people from the other tribes who had been sent along with him all nodded in agreement.

“We have inspected all the tribes of our people. Our tribes are undamaged, and everyone is living a normal life, with no signs of being attacked!” Sebai Ashid said.

"Impossible! Impossible! Prince Sebai, I am from the Ashide tribe. Our entire tribe was burned down, and everyone was killed... This is impossible!" The Ashide tribesman said with disbelief.

Mosuo Ashina said, "Nonsense! Your Ashide tribe is perfectly fine. People are herding sheep and cattle... There's nothing wrong with it! Do you think we're blind?"

"That's right, we visited every tribe! They were attacked and didn't even know?"

The people from the other two tribes spoke up.

Seeing their confident expressions, the survivor of the Ashide tribe almost burst into tears.

He looked utterly speechless!

"Your Highnesses, I swear to the gods! Did you even look closely? Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

After hearing the survivors' words, the princes from various tribes were stunned.

They really didn't get close.

They originally intended to get closer, but Sebai Ashide advised against probing at close range.

His concern was that, if there were no problems, sending a scout team there would inevitably cause unnecessary trouble.

If they find out about these things, I'm afraid they'll become suspicious of each other, which could cause unnecessary trouble.

Moreover, tensions were high at the front, and they were in a hurry.

Sebai Ashid's opinion was unanimously agreed upon, since it was easy to tell from a distance whether their tribe had been attacked.

Ashide looked at them and asked, "Did you go closer to check?"

Sebai Ashid, fearing blame, said, "Of course...of course I went closer to take a look!"

The others, seeing this, chimed in.

After all, the various Khan tribes were vying for the throne.

If something goes wrong in this matter, and someone gets hold of it against us.

Moreover, everyone felt that the tribe did not appear to have been attacked or plundered.

They simply said that.

Ashina then pointed at the surviving Turk: "Who sent you! What are your intentions in speaking to this place like this!"

"And those clansmen who gave you false information about the situation at the rear, go back and interrogate them thoroughly. Clearly, they are all spies!"

Then Ashina asked Helu, "Helu, have any of your tribesmen from the Helu tribe in the rear come over during this time?"

He Lu was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head firmly: "No!"

Ashina said, "That's right! It's probably Xiao Ce's doing. They deliberately used some methods to bribe your people. If he succeeds, we'll fight. Even if we don't fight, we'll definitely retreat to investigate. That way, their siege of Yanbei City will be lifted!"

"If we go back and organize another attack, it will take more than a month. By then, he will have room to maneuver!"

Ashina's analysis was met with nods of agreement from everyone present.

Just then, messengers from Tesa and Musa came to report that their tribesmen had also come to their territory seeking help.

Ashina said confidently, "See that? What a coincidence! It's obvious that Xiao Ce saw we didn't fight and wanted to trick us into going back!"

The tribal leaders listened to Ashina's analysis and said, "Ashina, your analysis is correct! It must be so! We almost fell for his trick."

Ashide spoke first.

Musa changed his tune: "I told you, Ashina isn't that short-sighted... So, the people of Yanbei City have been driven to the brink of despair!"

Tesa said awkwardly, "Ashina, please don't blame us. It was all because Xiao Ce's scheme was too vicious! I apologize on your behalf. Fortunately, you remained calm, and no serious consequences occurred!"

Ashina looked at everyone's expressions and finally saw Helu.

He Lu said to Ashina, "Why are you looking at me like that? I don't know anything. Those three are just stupid and got tricked... I only came because I listened to them!"

Ashina said, "Since everyone is certain that it was a scheme by the people of Xiao, I will take care of those spies. I will have them interrogated."

Knowing they were in the wrong, the group agreed without saying a word.

Ashide said, "Ashna, when you are interrogating, let's send some people to help you too."

Ashina agreed after hearing Ashide's words.

Ashina knew very well that Ashide usually seemed kind and gentle, but this incident showed that a dog that bites doesn't bark!

Ashina knew very well that Ashide was afraid he would do something detrimental to them during the interrogation.

Ashina naturally agreed.

...

That same day, Ashina arrested Zhamu Ashide and the group of people who had come to seek refuge with him.

They were also subjected to severe torture.

Several of their tribal chiefs participated in this interrogation.

At first, Zhamu refused to talk, but the Turks' interrogation methods were simply too cruel.

Zhamu Ashide simply couldn't hold on any longer.

Covered in blood, Zhamu Ashide said, "I'll talk! I'll talk! It was Xiao Ce! Xiao Ce led a ghost cavalry force behind our rear and wiped out our entire Turkic rear area. He killed everyone who deserved to die, including the old ones, and only picked the good-looking and young ones to be enslaved. He sent us to sow discord among you!"

After Zhamu Ashide said this, the other Turks chimed in, saying almost the same thing.

Ashina said with a sinister expression, "Hmph... Is this the truth you've told us? Do you really think we're fools?"

He Lu said from one side, "That's right! You all better start over! Our Turkic leader is here, do you think you can fool us?"